Saturdays at 8:00 pm
Put yourself in the room where live folk music thrives
Folkstage is a one-hour concert series featuring the finest traditional and singer-songwriter talent in folk music. Each year, some two dozen concerts come to you live from local venues or WFMT's studio. Additional episodes feature selections from 45 years of archival performances, including from the Old Town School of Folk Music.
You might also like The Midnight Special, a thematic mix of folk music and more every Saturday night from 9 pm to midnight after Folkstage.
Folkstage is available for free streaming in two different ways – live during the broadcast and on demand via the rights-compliant 5-hour, non-interactive player below within two weeks of the broadcast.
Red Tail Ring from the Archives
Warm up your mid-December night with roots music from Red Tail Ring (Laurel Premo and Michael Beauchamp-Cohen) from July 2013.
“Voices of Winter” from the Archives
Time cannot dim the appeal of close friends in close harmony. Herdman, Hills and Mangsen brought their quintessential holiday repertoire “Voices of Winter” to Folkstage in December 2000.
“New Year’s Steve” Live from WFMT
In memory of irrepressible Chicago folk icon Steve Goodman, it’s a high-spirited hootenanny and sing-along of his best-loved songs with James Curley, Jenny & Robin Bienemann, Naomi Ashley, Dennis Leise, Jon Williams, John Abbey, and introducing Stephen Schuch.
Vance Gilbert and Rory Makem from the Archives
Revisit Rich Warren’s New Year’s Eve retirement party with sets by Vance Gilbert and Rory Makem recorded live at The Old Town School of Folk Music on December 31, 2022.
New Year’s Eve 2022 from the Archives
The finale of Rich Warren’s Retirement Party and Concert recorded at the Old Town School of Music on December 31, 2022.
Michael J. Miles & Jill Kaeding Live from WFMT
Oak Park native and banjo virtuoso Michael J. Miles joins with noted cellist Jill Kaeding adding the sound of the five-string banjo to J. S. Bach’s Cello Suites.
Al Rose & Al Day Live from WFMT
A full house of local treasures named Al and their bandmates: Al Rose with Steve Doyle plus Al Day with Don Stiernberg and Marc Edelstein.
